It’s not such a big wonder to know that for many people, social media is a world where they live and dwell. Each and every moment, these people start their day (whatever a “day” is to these same folks) by checking in on their many accounts that exist in the social media universe. (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instgram, etc. etc.) to see what exists within those places. And as they continue throughout that day, be it a real one or as a virtual platform, the add a few elements from a text based message, a photographic image, passing the text message and/or photographic image, perhaps creating a moving image piece, sharing somebody else’s moving imagery, and one can conceive the idea from there. These tasks the folks present may take up from a few minutes to encounter to a number of hours, depending on how much heavy usage they wish to embark upon. And once that “day” is completed for the moment, they will set aside to get some rest (assuming that these social media citizens take part in that function), only to begin again.
And as the one amusing now rather tired and overused cliche goes–wash, rinse, repeat!
Social media as it exists in the present moment is pretty much an invention of the early 21st century. It was first born in the 1990’s when internet access became available to those that knew what to do with it all! As it progressed and matured over time and tide, it moved from a state of curiosity and novelty to a way of life. Depending on appeal and demographic, people use a number of platforms for various reasons. Gen Z-ers, those born after 1996, tend to flock to Snapchat and Instagram. The Millenniums, those born from 1980 through ’96, also use those platforms as well as Facebook., However, Facebook with their current situations, are slowly eroding away from this group. Facebook is rather popular with the Gex-X bunch (born 1965-1979) as well as the Baby Boomers (born through 1946-1955, and 1956-1964). This latter group uses Facebook on a wider scale to keep up with the people they know, they know of, and those that until very recently, was long forgotten and now “found”.
But when it comes to using social media for other purposes, not necessarily through events or related details on more of a personal nature, then that presence becomes rather robust. For instance, the recent Super Bowl generated a reported usage of 24.05 terabytes (TB) of data through the many social media platforms in terms of picture posts, text messages, moving imagery, and other aspects that make up the social media platforms. And to generate how much data is 24.05 TB, that is the equivalent of reproducing everything housed in the Library of Congress twice over! As one can note, that is a lot of data!
But where did all of this data go, not necessarily limited to the Super Bowl, but to any other event or commendation? It’s been placed on hard drives through the real universe ready, willing, and able to be found, lost, extracted, and plopped somewhere for those to reexpose it later–if at all! And this is data that exists as this report is being written. It doesn’t count for the data that will be created tomorrow, the next day, or even the next minute! It’s all going out there, and it’s not going to end at all–like it or not!
So as the social media platforms do their duty to make other know about themselves, we’ll give a big hat tip to them with the expression of joy they get out of living in their world of reality, make believe, or a combination of the two. It’s a wonderful “world”, and a world of “wonder”–whatever that means!
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NEWS AND REVIEWS
Continuing its run at The Greenway Court Theatre is Barra Grant’s MISS AMERICA’S UGLY DAUGHTER: BESS MYERSON & ME, the self titled solo show where the daughter of the one time Queen of Atlantic City tells what is was all about!
Barra paints a verbal picture on how she became the first and only child of the woman who was once awarded the prize of Miss America in 1945. In her saga, she emotes how she became the “ugly daughter”, a child that was pudgy, had bad teeth, gnarly hair, and was far from being beauty queen material. But her mom did not remain perfect once her rein as Miss America was long over. As a child of the great depression and one of Jewish persuasion, Bess attempted to become involved with men who were with money and was Jewish, although those two traits didn’t necessarily go hand-in-hand! Barra lived in various places thanks to her dads from multistory mansions to humble apartments units in Manhattan. Bess did have a post-Miss America career, from being a TV personality as a panelist on I’ve Got A Secret, to having government positions as part of city politics. But this story isn’t really about the rise and fall of Bess Myerson, although she did encounter a number of those kind of episodes. This is the real account on how a mother and daughter didn’t live a full life of close bonding. In fact, their relationship was rather dysfunctional. The only difference was the fact that Bess and Barra was more in the media limelight that an average mom and daughter’s dysfunctional alliance.
This show, written and performed by Barra (nee Barbara) Grant and directed by Eve Brandstein, is a true and rather honest look of the life of a child that was living in the shadow of being with a celebrity. Barra gives a “tell-all” confession on how her lifestyle was affected thanks to her mom’s many encounters of the men of her life ranging from a millionaire to a mid-level mobster. Barra herself eventually shook off her uglyness, wrote screenplays nobody did anything with, and became an actress appearing in a grade “Z” grind house feature. But throughout the show, it’s about the life and times of Barra and Bess.
The stage set is rather basic as designed by Elisha Schaefer. On stage right is a desk where a cordless phone sits where Bess speaks to Barra on the phone calling at all hours over trivial crisis her mom is experiencing. On stage left is Barra’s personal room representing the many places she lived from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. In the center of the stage is a queen’s throne where a red robe is draped and a tierra is placed, along with the trophy Bess was awarded when she was crowned Miss America. Deborah Keaton’s graphic design shows through imagery projected on the back stage wall the many timelines that passed through the eras from its humble beginnings through its final moments.
Also featured in this production in Monica Piper as the off-stage voice of Barra’s mom.
Bess Myerson was only a handful of Miss Americas that has had many successes and failures in their life long after they departed the boardwalks of Atlantic City as pseudo royalty. Most former pageant queens faded away from the public view over time. Bess continued to be known for the good or otherwise as Barra spins a tale that can’t be made up! It’s all true–with a bit of creative license added from good measure! It’s also very entertaining! Granted, being crowned queen in a beauty pageant has lost its luster in recent years, so there will never be another Bess Myerson. That’s great for the mothers and daughters out there, but not too great for those same daughters attempting to create a one person tell-all stage show about their mom. Barra is lucky to have that chance, and the theater going audience is also lucky to become witnesses of an one-of-a-kind epic! As Mr. Parks would once sing, “Here she is….”
MISS AMERICA’S UGLY DAUGHTER: BESS MYERSON & ME, presented by Pageant Productions, LLC in association with Cannon Theatricals, performs at The Greenway Court Theatre, 544 North Fairfax Avenue. (one block south of Melrose Avenue), Los Angeles, until March 24th. Showtimes are Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 6:00 PM, and Monday nights at 8:00 PM.
For tickets and for more details, call (323) 285-2078, or via online at
http://www.MissAmericasUglyDaughter.com
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The Sierre Madre Playhouse opens their 2019 season with TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, a story about two people, a teacher and a student, that learn from one another long after school was out.
Jackson Kendall is Mitch Albom. He attended Brandeis University as a standard student. Out of his many professors that came and went was one that stood out; Morrie Schwartz (Larry Eisenberg), a professor of sociology. On graduation day, Morrie asked Mitch to keep in touch with him once he was out in the world. Mitch went to New York to live with an uncle of his. He worked as a jazz pianist playing in various clubs. But that gig don’t last too long. Upon of the death of his uncle, he went to grad school at Columbia to become a journalist and later as a sports writer. He did well for himself. However, there was one thing he didn’t do was to keep in touch with his professor friend. That is, until one late evening he caught the ABC late night news and interview program Nightline, where Morrie appeared in a guest spot. That appearance gave Mitch the notion to call Morrie after a sixteen years leave of absence. From that first contact, Mitch and Morrie rekindled their friendship by meeting each and every Tuesday with the old college professor giving life advice to his new(er) pupil. However, Mitch discovered that his coach, as Morrie insisted he be known as, was dying of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Here, Mitch and Morrie developed a close bond that paved the way that the longtime grad of Brandeis University would see his own life in a new perspective.
This play, from the same titled book by Mitch Albom, and adapted for the stage by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom, is a very charming piece that is a careful blend of comedy, drama, and tragedy, all rolled up in one neat package. Within this single act play, Jackson Kendall as Mitch starts out as a eager young adult that desires to make it big in his world, and did so with vast succession. Larry Eisenberg as Morrie is the man that knows everything. Not only in sociology, but in life itself. He would speak from the heart and mind while adding a bit of yiddish to his speech for variety and flavor. These two players hold that performing chemistry that becomes real and honest, thanks to L. Flint Esquerra’s stage direction.
As this pair present their story on the SMP stage, Amanda Knehans’ set design is graced with a horizontal oak colored plank facade. With using a handful of props and furnishings, it shows that the ol’ professor lives in a modern world, although he is set in the era when he was much younger and more virtual in the physical sense. It’s not ivy colored walls, but it’s neat into itself.
TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE is a production that will leave the theater going audience leaving with many notions to keep in mind. Once will learn about the simplicities of love, life, work, family, and of course, death. It may even spark an idea to contact an old friend from not so long ago. One doesn’t have to wait to find them again either by TV or through social media. Who knows? You just might learn a lesson or two. After all, Tuesday comes but once a week!
TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, presented by and performs at the Sierre Madre Playhouse, 87 West Sierre Madre Blvd, Sierre Madre, until March 31st. Showtimes are Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights at 8;00 PM, and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 PM. Special performance on Monday, March 18th at 8:00 PM. No performance on Sunday, March 17th.
For ticket reservations or for more information, call (626) 355-4318, or via online at
http://www.SierreMadrePlayhouse.org
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On Sunday, February 24th, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presented the 91st Academy Awards presenting the Oscar for the best films of the 2018 calendar year, held at the Dolby Theater within the Hollywood & Highland complex in Hollywood as a “no hosted” event.
Rami Malek won Best Actor for the feature release Bohemian Rhapsody. Olivia Colman won Best Actress for The Favourite. Alfonso Cuaron won Best Director for Roma, and Green Book won as Best Picture.
For a list of all nominees and winners, visit the official web site at
http://www.Oscars.com.
Earlier in the week, the Golden Raspberry Foundation presented the 39th Razzie Awards awarding the Razzie for the worst films released in the 2018 calendar year
Donald J. Trump (as himself) won Worst Actor for the features Death of a Nation and Fahrenheit 11/9. Melissa McCarthy won Worst Actress for The Happytime Murders and The Life of the Party. Etan Cohen won Worst Director for Holmes & Watson, and Holmes & Watson won as Worst Picture.
The special Razzie Redeemer Award, presented to a person that appeared in both a bad movie as well as a deserving feature went to Melissa McCarthy for her appearance in the “good” movie Can You Ever Forgive Me?
For a listing of all nominated films and people as well as its “winners’, visit the official Razzes web site at http://www.Razzies.com
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